KINGSTON, Jamaica – Trade unions engaged with the government over the claims for improved salaries for their members at the National Water Commission (NWC), are optimistic that the dispute will end on Tuesday.

The parties have had several meetings on several occasions at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) to avoid another strike threat from the five unions involved.

Union sources are convinced that the change of the unions’ position from promoting a strike, which could seriously hamper the distribution of NWC water across the island in the midst of its warmest period in memory, came about after Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke intervened hours before the end of the 72-strike ultimatum which had been issued by the commission.

Dr Clarke’s involvement was a positive response, which gave the NWC and the five unions involved- the Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers (JALGO), the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), the National Workers’ Union (NWU), the Union of Public Officers and Public Employees (JUPOPE) as well as managerial NWC Executive Staff Association- the resolve to continue onto a new salary agreement.

The issues were linked to the discontent which had developed over the salary bands developed for the commission, particularly at the lower wage scales and the conversion principles. The unions declined explaining the process for restructuring the compensation for the workers, but are optimistic that an agreement could be reached by Tuesday afternoon.

This was mainly due to the failure of the commission to implement the recommendations of a 2010 reclassification exercise, which has developed into one of major areas of discontent between the workers and management and which led to strike actions in 2019 and 2022.

The NWC is a statutory organisation charged with the responsibility of providing potable water and wastewater services for Jamaicans. The Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act (LRIDA) obliges trade unions to issue a 72-hour warning of any industrial action to be taken by their members.

– Balford Henry